"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

On September 12, Elizabeth and 2 of her best friends were involved in a car accident. Elizabeth was med flighted to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock and suffered from a traumatic brain injury. She was in a medically induced coma for 3 days. She could not breathe on her own until the breathing tube was finally removed after 5 days. On the 4th day, her beautiful eyes finally opened, but she remained in and out of consciousness for about 11 days. 18 days after the accident Elizabeth was moved to Baptist Rehab Institute. After spending 29 days at BRI, and a grand total of 47 days in the hospital Elizabeth will finally be going home THIS FRIDAY!!!

Some would say that Elizabeth. Becca, and Courtney should not have lived through the accident. The car rolled approximately 4 times and was completely unrecognizable. God chose to spare the lives of these three friends. Their lives on this earth were not complete and His plan called for them to remain here with us for a while longer. They all three have had obstacles to overcome but are giving God the glory through this tragic circumstance.

Elizabeth is making continued progress each and every day. Her caregivers are literally astounded at the rate that she is healing. Just today Elizabeth had a late therapy session because she wanted to run outside! Did you hear me??? I said RUN. Now, she is not quite the runner she was before, but I have BIG FAITH that she will get there. Elizabeth cooked spaghetti for her family and hospital friends this week and served them all. She is encouraged, happy, and while she has loved her therapists and doctors at BRI, this sweet girl is ready to go home.

While the last 2 months have been trying and Elizabeth and her family are changed forever, they are so grateful to God for His mercies and blessings. Only God could and can continue to heal Elizabeth. When doctors warned the family that she might not make it, when she might not wake up, when she might not recover... they turned to God. The first words that Elizabeth said when waking were reciting a Bible verse. Please be encouraged by the faith of Elizabeth and her family. Please know that they are not putting limitations on God and they have BIG FAITH that He can restore her mind and body to what it was before the accident. Hope is necessary to make it through situations like these. It is impossible to have hope without faith. Having faith is more than believing in God. Faith is TRUSTING GOD with your life. I would say that BIG FAITH is a step above trusting Him. It is removing any limitations from God and truly believing that nothing is impossible for God!

Please understand that no matter what situation you are in at this moment, God can rescue you. God rescued Elizabeth for the first time when she was 9 years old. She realized she was a sinner and that her sins kept her from entering a perfect Heaven. She admitted her sins to God, and asked Him to rescue her from a life without Him. He instantly entered into her life. Elizabeth still makes mistakes because of her human nature, but her commitment was to live for Christ each day. I believe that Elizabeth had BIG FAITH before this accident. Her life and her accident have encouraged me to have BIG FAITH. There have been comments and emails about other lives that have been changed... some having faith for the very first time, and others that have known God personally for years and have now been challenged with deepening their faith. I pray that her story has and will continue to impact the lives of others and ultimately that God would receive glory.

Elizabeth's family will be meeting with her treatment team tomorrow (Wednesday.) They will have a final meeting discussing details of her discharge from the hospital, and their recommendations for treatment once she is home. Please be in prayer for this meeting and the process of moving Elizabeth back to her parent's house in Conway.

Please celebrate with me in giving glory to God for saving her life and for her leaving the hospital. While there is still a long road ahead, we are over another major obstacle. Glory be to God!

PRAISE. "Thank you Father for healing Elizabeth. Thank you for hearing our prayers and the testimony of Elizabeth's life."

PRAISE. "We praise you that Elizabeth is well enough to go home! Thank you for healing her at a speed that has blown the medical world away."

PRAISE. "We thank You for the hope that Elizabeth and her family have in You. We thank you for never leaving them and placing so many wonderful people in their lives to love and support them."

PRAY. "We pray for complete and total healing for Elizabeth. We pray that her heart would be hopeful and encouraged always."

PRAY. "We pray for the meeting that the Parsley's and the treatment team will have tomorrow. We pray that they would seek You and that you would give them knowledge about what is best for Elizabeth. We pray that you would bless these individuals that have taken such great care of Elizabeth and her family."

PRAY. "Lord we pray for the transition of Elizabeth leaving the hospital and moving into her parent's home. We pray the transition is smooth and that Elizabeth feels at home and that her healing continues while she is constantly surrounded by those that love her."

PRAY. "We pray for those without faith. We pray that they would understand that YOU are the ONLY one that can rescue them and that they would ask You to do so. We pray that as believers we would have BIG FAITH and that we would know that NOTHING is impossible for You."

7 comments:

Hallelujah! Thank you Dear Father in Heaven, THank You, Praises be to You, Our Creator and the Great Physcian. May we walk in this life in a manner that pleases You! I am so elated for you!! Tears, HAPPPYY tears are streaming down my face for this wonderful gift from God, Thanking YOu Lord for sparing their lives, thank You Lord for saving their souls, Thank you Lord for a promised eternity with You, Thank you Lord for giving gifts of mercy, grace and healing in this situation. GLORY BE TO GOD! All my love and prayers will continue for you, for the gift of TOTAL healing. All my love. Jan in MO